‘WhatsApp For Business’ Sees First Verified Business Account

Highlights

Companies will be able set their work hours

If contacted in off-hours customers will get an away message

Automated messages can be modified by businesses

WhatsApp Small and Medium Business is actually available only for the Android platform (references about the Android platform available here), for a few businesses only that have a partnership with WhatsApp. It may be noted that we don’t know if they are going to implement an iOS business version later, before the official release.

Since a few weeks, there have been several reports floating on the internet about verified Business accounts on WhatsApp. As per the latest update, the messaging platform owned by the social media giant Facebook has confirmed that as a part of its closed pilot program they are assessing new tools. The messaging platform is currently testing an enterprise edition, which will be free of cost for the small-scale firms. Moreover, large companies with a customer base spread across different countries will have to the bear a particular sum in order to opt for the enterprise version of WhatsApp.

A green badge will confirm that the account has been verified by WhatsApp. As per the company, the ‘WhatsApp for Business’ will allow enterprises, be it small or big, send across useful information to its customers with respect to air travel timing, ticket booking status, delivery confirmations and other relevant updates. Here, the first client for ‘WhatsApp for Business’ in India is none other than BookMyShow, moreover, there are reports that Ola cabs and OYO rooms will soon join the bandwagon.

In its blog post, WabetaInfo, company stated that “Some business accounts have been verified by WhatsApp. If you see a green badge next to a contact’s name, it means that the company confirms that the phone number of this contact belongs to a business account.” According to WhatsApp beta version, currently, this service is being tested only on Android phones.

WhatsApp is on a growth spree and hence have stretched the platform for businesses. At present, companies promote their businesses via Facebook page and Twitter account, now the latest addition to the marketing tactic will be a WhatsApp account. With this, businesses will be able to directly get in touch with their potential customer. Verified WhatsApp account would mean that this account and given contact number is authentic, which will be notified by a green badge next to the account name.

With enterprise solution account, businesses can set their work timings. Moreover, it also provides you, the customer, with an away message in case the contracted business is not available at that very moment, or it has been contacted in the non-working hours. On the other side, businesses will be able to manage or personalize those automatic messages.

The company states on its blog that at present all the business accounts are not getting verified as this feature is a part of its pilot program and only a few will get it now. Also, to make it more authentic and trustworthy, only enterprises will be able to apply for account verification. Just like usual WhatsApp, you can also block the business account, in case you start receiving loads unwanted chats. On blocking the contact you will not be able to get an update from the company.

With this significant feature launching soon globally, WhatsApp is all prepared to take the messaging platform to an all-new level. And this time, they mean ‘’Business”.